Wednesday Apple Rumors: iOS 7 Interface Gets ‘Flat’ Redesign

The new look may take a page from Microsoft's Windows 8

Changes: An major overhaul of Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) mobile operating system will be unveiled at this year’s Worldwide Developer Conference next month, 9to5Mac notes. Sources say that iOS 7 will feature an complete face-lift of the OS’s well-known interface, replacing its three-dimensional layering and texturing with a two-dimensional appearance. The new design, overseen by Apple’s head designer Jony Ive, is said to be reminiscent of the flat tiles seen in Microsoft‘s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows Phone Metro interface. While iOS has been praised for its ease of use, the interface has been criticized in recent months as appearing dated. The new iOS design has been code-named “Innsbruck” by Apple employees, who are reportedly using polarizing filters on mobile devices running iOS 7 to prevent it from being seen before the official debut. The redesign is expected to affect the entire operating system system, including the tool bars, Calendar, Mail and Notification Center, promoting a cleaner look that allows users to take in information at a glance.

Cannibal: iPad Mini sales are eating into sales of the company’s standard-sized iPad, CNET notes. Last quarter, Apple reported total iPad sales of 19.5 million units. Reports from Asia indicate that 12.5 million of those were iPad Minis. Apple did not disclose separate sales numbers for iPads and iPad Minis. The iPad Mini, which launched last fall, has proven highly successful. Rumors earlier this year noted that Apple had raised the number of iPad Minis it expected to ship in coming quarters, while cutting back the number of iPads it expected to ship during the same period. The basic WiFi-only iPad Mini is priced at $329, while the basic iPad starts at $499. Recent rumors say that Apple is considering the launch of a cheaper iPad Mini to compete with rival tablets running Google‘s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android operating system.

Durability: Smartphone torture tests reveal that Samsung’s new Galaxy S4 flagship phone is more easily damaged than the iPhone 5, AppleInsider notes. Tests performed by SquareTrade included submersion in water, sliding phones across tabletops and dropping the phones from various heights. While the iPhone 5, Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S3 were all rated as “Medium Risk” for damage, the Galaxy phones received a higher risk of damage score compared to the iPhone 5. Ranked on a scale between 1 and 10, with a higher score reflecting a greater risk of damage, the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S3 were rated 7 and 6.4, respectively. By contrast, the iPhone 5 received a score of 5. SquareTrade predicts that 1 in 8 Galaxy S4 purchasers will break their phones within six months.

For more about the company, check out our previous Apple Rumors stories.